I wonder ______ about the Dept of Environmental Protection - Earth Month

What are your questions? About what are you curious?

When you see the recycling truck driving down your street, of what do you think? What piques your interest when you deliver something to the Transfer Station?

What makes you curious when you walk past a stream… or a sewer, think about air quality indoors or out, or… ?

In short, what tickles your brain with an “I wonder…” when you think about the work of the County’s Department of Environmental Protection? Read an overview of our Department.

Why am I asking?

April is “Earth Month” for us! For the past two years, I’ve sent out daily, practical, environmentally-related tips in April.

This year, I want to take you behind the scenes into the work we do. Knowing your questions and interests will help us better tailor the stories we share.

What will I do with your responses?

On each Wednesday in April 2011, I’ll take you into one facet of our operations.

Get each dispatch as it’s posted to our blog, tweeted to @GoGreenMC, and sent out via email to our “GoGreen Tips” email subscribers.

I look forward to your replies!
--Susanne

Transfer Station tips for easy yard trim drop-off

Tips from the manager of our Solid Waste Transfer Station and Processing Facility...

Dear Tree Limb and Yard Trim Customers:

The Shady Grove Processing Facility and Transfer Station has been experiencing long lines for you during peak operating hours.

In order to avoid lines please consider the following options:

1. Residential customers: if you just have small material (limb diameter less than 4 inches), please place your yard trim at the curb on your recycling day in bundles weighing less than 45 pounds and less than four feet in length, in brown yard waste bags, or in trash cans with a “Yard Waste” label

2. Residents hauling larger material from your own home: consider coming weekdays before 11:00 a.m. or during the evening between 5:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. If you come on the weekend, traffic is lightest in the morning before about 10:00 a.m. Traffic is heaviest midday between 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., so that is a good time to avoid. Following this advice should enable you dump your material with a minimal wait time.

How to keep your trash can lid from blowing away

February 2011 included some super-windy days. The spring months are sure to bring some more gusty days with them.

I sent out a recycling tip for windy days in our Presidents' Day holiday reminder email. That same afternoon, subscriber Ron wrote back with a tip of his own:

Re your tips for windy days and trash can lids being blown around the neighborhood.
Several years ago I tied my lid to the body of the trash can with a 24 inch length of thin nylon rope.
I have never had to chase down a missing lid since then, including during this past week's strong winds.
You drill a hole in the side of the trash can close to the top; place one end of the rope through that hole and secure it with a knot. The other end of the rope goes through a similar hole in the lid with a knot.
The collection workers don't have a problem emptying the container.
So, it seems to be a win/win situation.

Ron even supplied this photo of his attached lid:

Thank you, Ron! This is indeed a winning solution!
What tips make recycling and trash disposal easier for you? Send them to us, and we'll be happy to share them.

Friday, January 28, 2011: modified collection schedule

Today, we will be making collections normally made on Thursdays; Friday collections will be made tomorrow:

If your normal collection day is:	Your collection day for the week of January 28, 2011, is:
Thursday	Friday, January 28, 2011
Friday	Saturday, January 29, 2011

Please have your items out at the curb for collection by 7 a.m. And, where there are snow banks and parked cars, please place your bins and cans so that crews can see them easily from the street.

Visit our storm cleanup page for instructions on how to dispose of fallen tree limbs.

If you have any questions or concerns about your County-provided collection, please call the Montgomery County Customer Service Center at 3-1-1 (out-of-County: 240-777-0311, TTY: 240-773-3556)

If you (or your community) have a private contract for your trash collection, or if you live in a municipality, our schedule announcements may not apply to your trash service -- check with your hauler or community manager.

Thursday, January 27, 2011: modified collection schedule - collections canceled due to snow

Good morning!

We have canceled our recycling and trash collections today. Receive these announcements as email and/or text messages.

At this time, we plan to make remaining collections this week one day later than normal:

If your normal collection day is:	Your collection day for the week of January 27, 2011, is planned for:
Thursday	Friday, January 28, 2011
Friday	Saturday, January 29, 2011

We will continue to send out updates.

When service resumes, please have your items out at the curb for collection by 7 a.m. And, where there are snow banks and parked cars, please place your bins and cans so that crews can see them easily from the street.

If you have any questions or concerns about your County-provided collection, please call the Montgomery County Customer Service Center at 3-1-1 (out-of-County: 240-777-0311, TTY: 240-773-3556)

If you (or your community) have a private contract for your trash collection, or if you live in a municipality, our schedule announcements may not apply to your trash service -- check with your hauler or community manager.

Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2011: Normal holiday-modified collection schedule

Good morning!

We are on our normal holiday-modified recycling and trash collection schedule today. Some crews may have a slight delay because the streets and sidewalks are very, very slippery this morning. (Please be extremely careful yourselves as you head out to your day's travels!) Our plan is to get to all of the "Monday" routes today.

Remember that our collection schedule this week is shifted by one day because of yesterday's holiday.

If your normal collection day is:	Your collection day for the week of January 17, 2011, is:
Monday	Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Tuesday	Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Wednesday	Thursday, January 20, 2011
Thursday	Friday, January 21, 2011
Friday	Saturday, January 22, 2011

Please have your items out at the curb for collection by 7 a.m. And, where there are snow banks and parked cars, please place your bins and cans so that crews can see them easily from the street.

If you have any questions or concerns about your County-provided collection, please call the Montgomery County Customer Service Center at 3-1-1 (out-of-County: 240-777-0311, TTY: 240-773-3556)

If you (or your community) have a private contract for your trash collection, or if you live in a municipality, our schedule announcements may not apply to your trash service -- check with your hauler or community manager.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr's Birthday 2011 - modified trash and recycling collection schedule

Monday, January 17, 2011 - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Birthday - is a recycling and trash collection holiday. After the holiday, all County-provided recycling and trash collections will slide, and be one day later than normal.

If your normal collection day is:	Your collection day for the week of January 17, 2011, is:
Monday	Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Tuesday	Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Wednesday	Thursday, January 20, 2011
Thursday	Friday, January 21, 2011
Friday	Saturday, January 22, 2011

If you have any questions or concerns about your County-provided collection, please call the Montgomery County Customer Service Center at 3-1-1 (out of County: 240-777-0311, TTY: 240-773-3556)

If you (or your community) have a private contract for your trash collection, or if you live in a municipality, our schedule announcements may not apply to your trash service -- check with your hauler or community manager.

Shady Grove Processing Facility and Transfer Station

• Monday, January 17, 2011: Administrative offices and facility drop-offs closed.
• Transfer Station location, hours and other details

Poolesville Beauty Spot

• No Beauty Spot closings are announced at this time.
• Beauty Spot location, hours and other details

New Year's Day 2011 - normal trash and recycling collection schedule

Friday, December 31, 2010 - New Year's Day (observed) - is a regular recycling and trash collection day. All County-provided recycling and trash collections will be made on their normal schedule. Regular collection services will be provided the week before and after this holiday.

Please help us prevent missed pickups by sharing this holiday schedule information with your families, friends, neighbors, and community groups.

If your normal collection day is:	Your collection day for the week of December 31, 2010, is:
Monday	Monday, December 27, 2010
Tuesday	Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Wednesday	Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Thursday	Thursday, December 30, 2010
Friday	Friday, December 31, 2010

If you have any questions or concerns about your County-provided collection, please call the Montgomery County Customer Service Center at 3-1-1 (out-of-County: 240-777-0311, TTY: 240-773-3556)

If you (or your community) have a private contract for your trash collection, or if you live in a municipality, our schedule announcements may not apply to your trash service -- check with your hauler or community manager.

Shady Grove Processing Facility and Transfer Station

• Friday, December 31, 2010: Administrative offices closed all day; facility drop-offs close at 5:00 p.m.
• Saturday, January 1, 2011: Administrative offices and facility drop-offs closed.
• Sunday, January 2, 2011: Administrative offices closed; normal facility drop-off operations.
• Transfer Station location, hours and other details

Poolesville Beauty Spot

• Saturday, January 1, 2011: closed.
• Sunday, January 2, 2011: open with normal Beauty Spot hours.
• Beauty Spot location, hours and other details

Christmas Day 2010 - normal trash and recycling collection schedule

Friday, December 24, 2010 - Christmas Day (observed) - is a regular recycling and trash collection day. All County-provided recycling and trash collections will be made on their normal schedule. Regular collection services will be provided the week before and after this holiday.

Please help us prevent missed pickups by sharing this holiday schedule information with your families, friends, neighbors, and community groups.

If your normal collection day is:	Your collection day for the week of December 24, 2010, is:
Monday	Monday, December 20, 2010
Tuesday	Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Wednesday	Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Thursday	Thursday, December 23, 2010
Friday	Friday, December 24, 2010

If you have any questions or concerns about your County-provided collection, please call the Montgomery County Customer Service Center at 3-1-1 (out-of-County: 240-777-0311, TTY: 240-773-3556)

If you (or your community) have a private contract for your trash collection, or if you live in a municipality, our schedule announcements may not apply to your trash service -- check with your hauler or community manager.

Shady Grove Processing Facility and Transfer Station

• Friday, December 24, 2010: Administrative offices closed all day; facility drop-offs close at 5:00 p.m.
• Saturday, December 25, 2010: Administrative offices and facility drop-offs closed.
• Sunday, December 26, 2010: Administrative offices closed; normal facility drop-off operations.
• Transfer Station location, hours and other details

Poolesville Beauty Spot

• Saturday, December 25, 2010: closed.
• Sunday, December 26, 2010: closed.
• Beauty Spot location, hours and other details

A look ahead to New Year's Day 2011

There is no holiday slide for New Year's Day 2011. Regular collection services will be provided the week before and after this holiday.

If an actual holiday falls on the weekend, but the County observes the holiday on the Friday before or the Monday after the actual holiday, there is no change in the collection schedule.

2010 Silver Spring Thanksgiving Parade

Our staff and volunteers -- and Rocco the Recycling Retriever! -- participated in the 2010 Silver Spring Thanksgiving Parade. Here are some of our parade photos.

If the slide show doesn't appear, visit the direct link to our Flickr photo set.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving Day 2010 - modified trash and recycling collection schedule

Thursday, November 25, 2010 - Thanksgiving Day - is a recycling and trash collection holiday. After the holiday, all County-provided recycling and trash collections will slide; they will be one day later than normal.

If your normal collection day is:	Your collection day for the week of November 25, 2010, is:
Monday	Monday
Tuesday	Tuesday
Wednesday	Wednesday
Thursday	Friday
Friday	Saturday

If you have any questions or concerns about your County-provided collection, please call the Montgomery County Customer Service Center at 3-1-1 (out-of-County: 240-777-0311, TTY: 240-773-3556)

If you (or your community) have a private contract for your trash collection, or if you live in a municipality, our schedule announcements may not apply to your trash service -- check with your hauler or community manager.

Shady Grove Processing Facility and Transfer Station

• Wednesday, November 24, 2010: Administrative offices and facility drop-offs close at 5:00 p.m.
• Thursday, November 25, 2010: Administrative offices and facility drop-offs closed.
• Transfer Station location, hours and other details

Poolesville Beauty Spot

• Saturday and Sunday, November 27 and 28, 2010: open with normal Beauty Spot hours.
• Beauty Spot location, hours and other details

A look ahead to Christmas 2010 and New Year's Day 2011

There is no holiday slide changing the collection schedule for Christmas 2010 or New Year's Day 2011. Regular collection services will be provided the week before and after these next two holidays.

If an actual holiday falls on the weekend, but the County observes the holiday on the Friday before or the Monday after the actual holiday, there is no change in the collection schedule.

Please help us prevent missed pickups by sharing this Christmas and New Year's Day information with your families, friends, neighbors, and community groups.

Recycle your holiday lights!

Updated December 2, 2011: Visit our newest webpage for our most current information on holiday light recycling.

Updated: November 19, 2010

A few years ago, a resident asked us

Just wondering how i might recycle old christmas lights? (C9 size)

I did some research, and advised reuse or disposal as trash.

In 2010, we have a much better answer! We know of these local recycling opportunities for your working or broken Christmas and holiday lights.

• The Home Depot - all locations - through November 14, 2010
  • In Montgomery County:
    • Home Depot #2558
      14000 Georgia Avenue
      Aspen Hill MD 20906
      301-871-0603
    • Home Depot #2509
      7111 Westlake Terrace
      Bethesda, MD 20817
      301-634-3726
    • Home Depot #2550
      15740 Shady Grove Rd
      Gaithersburg MD 20877
      301-330-4900
    • Home Depot #2560
      21010 Frederick Rd
      Germantown MD 20876
      301-515-7944
    • Home Depot #2551
      2300 Broadbirch Dr
      Silver Spring MD 20904
      301-680-3500
• CVS/pharmacy - through November 20, 2010
  
• Lowe’s - through December 24, 2010
  
  • In Montgomery County:
    • Lowe's of Gaithersburg, MD #0223
      40 Market St
      Gaithersburg, MD 20878
      (301) 208-0400
• MOM's Organic Market - all locations - through January 31, 2011
  • In Montgomery County:
    • My Organic Market
      11711-B Parklawn Dr
      Rockville MD 20852
      301-816-4944
• Christmas-light-source.com - online retailer - year-round
• HolidayLEDs.com - online retailer - year-round

If you know of other local drop-off locations for lights, please tell us about them!

Leaf vacuuming begins November 8, 2010

The 2010 Leaf Vacuuming will begin Monday, November 8, 2010 (weather permitting).

The Montgomery County Department of Transportation's Division of Highway Services, one of our sister agencies, provides this service in the Leaf Collection District (PDF map). This District's general boundaries are: south of Bel Pre Road, east of I-270/I-495 and west of New Hampshire Avenue, to the District line.

Please help crews by

• Noting the information on the posted signs
• Raking leaves to the road edge (not into the street itself) or placing leaves in paper yard trim bags.
• Not placing leaves out for collection in plastic bags.
• Keeping parked vehicles away from leaf piles

Read full details on leaf vacuuming, including a service area map and progress updates.

Don't have leaf vacuuming service in your neighborhood? We provide our weekly curbside yard trim collections -- including leaves in paper yard trim bags or reusable cans -- year-round! You may order yard trim decals for your cans online. Also, consider composting leaves. We offer compost bins at no additional charge to you.

Keep all of our yard trim links handy through one convenient web page: http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/yardtrim

Two paper shredding and clothing/household donation events on November 13 + 14, 2010 - America Recycles Day weekend

We're bringing community paper shred events to Gaithersburg and Silver Spring!

Join us to celebrate America Recycles Day 2010 with two paper shredding/recycling and clothing/household goods donation drop-offs. We literally collected tons of material for recycling and reuse at our 2009 America Recycles Day events -- help us beat last year's numbers!

Paper shredding and recycling is available at no charge to Montgomery County residents only, with a 5 bag/small box limit. Your paper will be shredded on-site.

Read our detailed paper shredding and donation guidelines, including a location map.

Saturday, November 13, 2010, 12:00 to 4:00 p.m.
Gaithersburg High School
314 S. Frederick Ave
Gaithersburg, MD 20877

Sunday, November 14, 2010, 12:00 to 4:00 p.m.
Montgomery Blair High School
51 University Blvd East (Colesville Road parking lot)
Silver Spring, MD 20901

On the same weekend, we'll also feature recycling information tables at a number of stores and markets throughout Montgomery County. Check our America Recycles Day web page for an updated list and maps of locations and times.

Paper shredding - November 13, 2010 - Potomac

It looks like November 2010 is shaping up to be a month full of community paper shred events!

If you're in the Potomac area, mark your calendars for this one:

Saturday, November 13, 2010
10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Potomac Community Center
11315 Falls Road
Potomac, Maryland 20854

A $5 donation per box of paper benefits the Friends of the Potomac Community Center.

Thank you to PG for letting us know about this event.

Columbus Day 2010 - normal trash and recycling collection schedule

Monday, October 11, 2010 - Columbus Day - is a regular recycling and trash collection day. All County-provided recycling and trash collections will be made on their normal schedule.

If you have any questions or concerns about your County-provided collection, please call the Montgomery County Customer Service Center (MC311) at 3-1-1 (out-of-County: 240-777-0311, TTY: 240-773-3556).

If you (or your community) have a private contract for your trash collection, or if you live in a municipality, our schedule announcements may not apply to your trash service -- check with your hauler or community manager.

Shady Grove Processing Facility and Transfer Station

• no changes to hours of operation
• Transfer Station location, hours and other details

Poolesville Beauty Spot

• no changes to hours of operation
• Beauty Spot location, hours and other details

Prescription Drug Take-Back Day - Saturday, September 25, 2010

Is your medicine cabinet home to expired, unused, or unwanted prescription drugs? Bring these items to one of three local Prescription Drug Take-Back Day drop-off sites on Saturday, September 25, 2010, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Participation is free and anonymous, with no questions asked.

The Montgomery County Department of Police will have drop-off sites in Rockville and Bethesda. Read the Montgomery County news release.

Montgomery County Police Headquarters
2350 Research Blvd
Rockville, MD 20850
map for Montgomery County Police Headquarters

2nd District Police Station
7359 Wisconsin Ave
Bethesda, MD 20814
map for 2nd District Police Station

The Rockville City Police Department will have a drop-off site at its police station. Read the Rockville news release.

Rockville City Police Station
111 Maryland Ave
Rockville, MD 20850
map for Rockville City Police Station

Can't attend the Take-Back Day? Follow our instructions for how to dispose of medicine / prescription drugs.

Not in Montgomery County? Find a Take-Back site near you.

Labor Day 2010 - modified trash and recycling collection schedule

Monday, September 6, 2010 - Labor Day - is a recycling and trash collection holiday. After the holiday, all County-provided recycling and trash collections will slide and be one day later than normal.

If your normal collection day is:	Your collection day for the week of September 6, 2010, is:
Monday	Tuesday
Tuesday	Wednesday
Wednesday	Thursday
Thursday	Friday
Friday	Saturday

If you have any questions or concerns about your County-provided collection, please call the Montgomery County Customer Service Center (MC311) at 3-1-1 (out-of-County: 240-777-0311, TTY: 240-773-3556)

If you (or your community) have a private contract for your trash collection, or if you live in a municipality, our schedule announcements may not apply to your trash service -- check with your hauler or community manager.

Shady Grove Processing Facility and Transfer Station

• Monday, September 6, 2010: Site and administrative offices closed.
• Transfer Station location, hours and other details

Poolesville Beauty Spot

• No Beauty Spot closings are announced at this time.
• Beauty Spot location, hours and other details

Our Resource Recovery Facility received the 2010 SWANA Gold Award!

The Solid Waste Association of North America awarded its "2010 Gold Waste to Energy Excellence Award” to the Montgomery County Resource Recovery Facility (RRF). This award considers all aspects of waste to energy operations and represents the highest level of excellence among the nation’s nearly one hundred facilities.

Having also received the SWANA Gold Waste to Energy Excellence Award for the years 1998 and 2005, this is the third time that the Montgomery County RRF has received SWANA Gold for its waste to energy facility.

Other awards received in the past for the County's facility include:

• American Society of Mechanical Engineering (ASME) - Excellence in WTE Operations, 2000
• American Association of Environmental Engineers (AAEE) - Excellence in Environmental Engineering, Grand Prize for Operations/Management, 1998
• American Society of Civil Engineering (ASCE) - National Capital Section Outstanding Civil Engineering Project, 1997

--posted by Bill Davidson, Chief, Northern Operations, Emissions, Strategic Planning

Storm cleanup - week of July 25, 2010

Did you lose power after the storm on July 25, 2010, leaving you with rotten or spoiled food? We posted some food disposal tips, especially useful if your trash collection day is still a few days away.

We also have details on how to deal with post-storm tree debris.

What tips have you found helpful in your storm cleanup? Share your favorites with us.

-- posted by Susanne